Welcoming the new
Roman Missal
The Catholic Spirit Special Edition November 2011
FROM THE ARCHBISHOP
A deeper appreciation of the Mass Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, In a little more than one week, our parish communities will begin using the new translation of the Roman Missal at Mass. The missal’s introduction on the first Sunday of Advent is the culmination of years of consultation and deliberation by translators, bishops as well as the Holy See to build on the fruits of the Second Vatican Council and improve the way we pray the Mass — the source and summit of our Catholic faith. As I hope you know from your parish’s catechetical efforts surrounding the new translation, the third edition of the Roman Missal incorporates a principle for translating that more closely follows the Latin text on which our English prayers are based. But, as I noted in my Oct. 27 column in The Catholic Spirit, the translation is about much more than just “getting the Latin right.” It is about using language in a way to better convey the rich meaning of our liturgical prayers and make the Mass’s scriptural images stand out more clearly. Ultimately, these changes are meant to help draw us closer into the mystery of the Sacred Liturgy. In addition to learning new words for some of the prayers, we should use the opportunity provided by this new translation to deepen our
“I ask that we use the opportunity presented by the new translation of the Roman Missal to educate ourselves anew so that we may enter more deeply into the mystery and beauty of the Mass.” appreciation of the Mass and the importance it holds for our lives as Catholics. To that end, earlier this month I published my first pastoral letter as your archbishop: “Do This In Memory of Me: The Sacred Liturgy as the Splendor of God’s Eternal Glory.” I encourage you to read it and take time to reflect on its message. Ever since I can remember, I have found the Mass to be a source of joy and spiritual nourishment as well as a visible sign of unity with Christ and the members of his Body. My hope is that all Catholics would have this same love for the Sacred Liturgy and allow it to permeate every aspect of their lives.
Dave Hrbacek / This “extra” edition of The Catholic Spirit The offers a good opportunity to learn more about Catholic Spirit the changes contained in the new missal and the context for those changes within the celebration of the Mass. This edition builds on the six-month series about the missal, entitled: “Lift Up Your Hearts,” that has appeared in The Catholic Spirit in coordination with our archdiocesan Office of Worship. Change is never easy. But change also presents opportunities for re-education and new insight. I ask that we use the opportunity presented by the new translation of the Roman Missal to educate ourselves anew so that we may enter more deeply into the mystery and beauty of the Mass.
God bless you!
READ MORE ABOUT • THE SACRED LITURGY @ Read Archbishop Nienstedt’s pastoral letter at WWW.ARCHSPM.ORG. @ Read the archbishop’s Oct. 27 column at THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM. @ Read the articles in the “Lift Up Your Hearts” series at THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM. Click on “New Roman Missal.”
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2 • The Catholic Spirit
HISTORY
Why a new missal? This article was first published as part of The Catholic Spirit’s series on the new missal, “Lift Up Your Hearts.” By Father John Paul Erickson The Second Vatican Council was one of the singular gifts of God’s grace in the 20th century. In a century of unprecedented bloodshed, genocide, war and ethical upheavals, the Catholic Church boldly proclaimed in the texts of the council truths ever ancient, ever new: the singularity of Jesus Christ and his church; the universal call to holiness; the profound importance of Sacred Scripture in Christian discipleship; and the truth that the liturgy is the source and summit of the Christian life. Certainly one of the most obvious outcomes of this great ecumenical council was the reform of the liturgy, that is, the public prayer of the church. As enunciated in the first published document of the council, “Sacrosanctum Concilium,” an explicit goal of these reforms was the “full, active, and conscious participation” of the people of God in this public prayer, especially in the holy Mass. To aid in this kind of participation, which is at its root a union of mind and heart with the mysteries being celebrated, the council paved the way for a greater use of the vernacular in the liturgy. Very quickly after the council’s conclusion, the revised rituals and liturgical texts of the Latin church were translated from the original Latin, which remains the official language of the Latin church, into the many vernacular languages of the world. And so the “Novus Ordo” or “New Order of Mass” was soon available the world over in the language of the country in which the Mass was being offered. In 1974, an official English translation was released in the United States. We have been praying with it ever since.
‘Dynamic equivalence’ After the Council, the process of translating these revised texts from the Latin source into the many vernacular languages of the world was guided by an important document entitled, “Comme Le Prevoit.” This document, composed and approved by the church in 1969, gave the translators of liturgical texts certain principles to follow when trying to communicate the ideas found within the original Latin texts. One such principle was “dynamic equivalence,” which encouraged translators to utilize their skills to best convey the basic meaning of the texts, even when it involved simplifying or modifying the words of the original. We have had nearly 40 years to pray the Mass utilizing the 1974 translation. Many
have been nourished and sustained by the words within it. Many Catholics in the United States have prayed the Mass in English using these words all of their life. It is all they have known. It is all I have known. But as Blessed John XXIII, the great pope who convened the Second Vatican Council reminded us, the church is both our mother and our teacher, and as a mother and a teacher she has the duty to constantly lead and form her children in
the ways of prayer and worship, even when that duty leads her to change cherished texts. Desiring to continue to harvest the rich fields of the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the church released in 2001 a pivotal document entitled “Liturgiam Authenticam,” which established new principles upon which the translation of liturgical texts was to be CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
READ MORE ABOUT • THE HISTORY OF THE MISSAL @ Visit THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM/NEWROMANMISSAL.
3 • The Catholic Spirit
WORDS
New Missal glossary of terms U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Some of the words used in the new translation of the Mass may be unfamiliar to some Catholics. The following list of definitions may help to increase your understanding of the rich theology that underlies these texts.
describe in concepts and words the mystery of the Trinity or the mystery of the Incarnation. Intercessor: One who makes a petition on behalf of others. Our unique intercessor is Jesus Christ, who intercedes on our behalf with the Father (see Romans 8:34). The priest at Mass acting in the person of Christ intercedes on behalf of the whole church. Justification: The gracious action by which God frees us from sin and makes us holy and righteous before him. Lord, God of Hosts: From the word “sabaoth,” hosts are the invisible powers that work at God’s command over heaven and earth.
Consubstantial
Oblation: A gift or sacrifice offered to God. Consecration: The dedication of a thing or person to divine service by a prayer or blessing. In the Mass, “consecration” also refers to the words spoken by the priest whereby the bread and wine are transformed into the risen body and blood of Jesus. Consubstantial: The belief, articulated in the Nicene Creed, about the relationship of the Father and the Son: that “in the Father and with the Father, the Son is one and the same God” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 262). Godhead: The mystery of one God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Homage: The honor, respect, and reverence due to another. Homage is especially due to God, for he is eternal, all good, all holy and all loving. Implore: To plead, beseech or ask with humility. This is an example of the self-deprecatory language in the Roman Missal that helps to express our dependence on God. We humbly beg the Father to hear and answer our prayers, for we ask them in the power of the Holy Spirit and in the name of Jesus. Incarnation: The Son of God assumed human nature and became man by being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Jesus is true God and true man. As man, the Son of God obtained our salvation. The use of this term in the Nicene Creed indicates that Jesus’ birth has a significance beyond that of any other human birth. Ineffable: That which cannot be conceived or expressed fully (see 1 Corinthians 2:6-9). One cannot, for example, adequately
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 based from this point forward. As opposed to the dynamic equivalence of “Comme Le Prevoit,” this new document called for “formal equivalence,” a way of translating that demands a more exacting translation, without paraphrases or glosses. The root behind these new principles was nothing other than the experience of the church, gained since the council. It must be admitted that the current translation in use was completed after only a few years following the Second Vatican Council’s conclusion, and there needed to be time to process and digest the new language of public prayer.
Refining texts “Liturgiam Authenticam” sought to affirm what had worked well since the Second Vatican Council in the translation of liturgical texts, but also to correct what needed refinement. Our new translation of the “Novus Ordo,” to be used later this year, is an attempt to follow the new principles of translation outlined by the church in “Liturgiam Authenticam.” Closely connected to the release of
Only-Begotten Son: This title “signifies the unique and eternal relationship of Jesus Christ to God his Father: he is the only Son of the Father (cf. John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18); he is God himself (cf. John 1:1)” (CCC, no. 454). Jesus is the Son of God not by adoption but by nature. Paschal: Referring to Christ’s work of redemption accomplished through his Passion, death, resurrection and ascension. Through the Paschal Mystery, Jesus destroyed our death and restored us to life. The Paschal Mystery is celebrated and made present in the liturgy so that we can obtain the fruit of Jesus’ death and resurrection, that is, the forgiveness of our sins and the new life of the Holy Spirit. Redemption: Jesus Christ is our savior and redeemer because he frees us from our sin through his sacrificial death on the cross. Temporal: What pertains to this world of time and history, as opposed to what pertains to God, such as our new life in Christ through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Venerate: To show devotion and respect to holy things and people. Catholics venerate relics and saints. Veneration must be clearly distinguished from adoration and worship, both of which pertain solely to the Trinity and Jesus as the Son of God. Copyright © 2010 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
“This moment in our church’s life is . . . a privileged chance to once again truly listen to what we are saying when we participate in the Holy Mass.” “Liturgiam Authenticam” was the decision of Blessed John Paul II to announce in the Jubilee Year of 2000 the publication of a new “Roman Missal,” that is, a new book of prayers for the Mass. The final Latin text of this missal was not completed until 2002. This would be the third such “typical edition” missal since the Second Vatican Council, the first being released in 1969, the second in 1975. The missals of 1975 and 2002 were mostly simple reprints of the original 1969 Latin text, but they did add new prayers and new saints, and offer clarifications on the celebration of the Mass. For example, the 2002 missal includes new prayers for Masses offered in honor of St. Josephine
Bakhita, an African nun from Darfur. When the third edition of the Roman Missal was released in 2002 in Latin, the episcopal conferences around the world were given the historic and monumental task of translating this new text into the vernacular, utilizing the principles found in “Liturgiam Authenticam.” And so, for the past decade, this has been the constant project of liturgists, theologians and bishops’ committees. It has been a laborious process, but one that has involved much more consultation, conversation and debate than the 1974 English text. After these many years of consultation, debate, votes and thorough analysis, the English translation of the third edition of the Roman Missal is now ready for use in the United States. We will begin to use it on Nov. 27. While these new words will be challenging to us all for a whole host of different reasons, this moment in our church’s life is nevertheless a privileged chance to once again truly listen to what we are saying when we participate in the Holy Mass. Father John Paul Erickson is director of the archdiocesan Office of Worship.
READ MORE ABOUT • LANGUAGE CHANGES @ Visit THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM/NEWROMANMISSAL.
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KIDS
Youth and adults together will learn new language, gain better understanding of Liturgy By Pat Norby The Catholic Spirit
Don’t be too concerned if you and your children stumble over the words of the Mass beginning Nov. 26-27, the first weekend of Advent. Your presider may stumble a little, too. “You need to be patient with your priests,” Father John Paul Erickson said during an Oct. 27 workshop, “Teaching Children and Youth about the Revised Translation of the Roman Missal,” at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Hastings for about 60 religious education directors. “Archbishop [John] Nienstedt reminded me that Nov. 27 will come and go and people will continue to learn,” said Father Erickson, director of the archdiocesan Office of Worship. He and Lori Dahlhoff, executive director of the National Catholic Educational Association’s Department of Religious Education, presented information and provided tips to help young people understand the Liturgy (see accompanying box). One blessing that comes from the changes contained in the new Roman Missal is that “everybody gets to feel like a little child for a while in learning this,” said Dahlhoff, who previously worked for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. “Even [for] the smallest among us — whether that’s the newest to the church or in age — there is always a time that we don’t know, so we’re learning this and everybody is more aware of that,” she said.
Tips for parents Lori Dahlhoff, executive director of the religious education department of the National Catholic Educational Association, offered the following tips and comments for helping children learn and understand the new language in the Mass. 1) Be open to their questions. Listen to what they are asking, and if you don’t know the answer, ask a parish catechist or visit the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops website at WWW.USCCB.ORG/ ROMANMISSAL. 2) Ask them questions. As you walk out of church, ask them what they think about a new word or gesture used at Mass. 3) Pray it with them. The main way to teach prayer is to pray and to trust that the Spirit will work through everyone to come to a greater understanding. “Teaching one another through our questions and our sharing of our experiences will be more effective than any class,” Dahlhoff said.
Time is big challenge The greatest challenge to learning the new prayers is lack of time, Father Erickson said. @ First, Catholics need to take the time to learn why the changes are taking place. @ Second, they need to understand the meaning of the words and the meaning of the Mass itself. @ Third, people need to study, listen and sacrifice a night for formation on a Wednesday or a Thursday. “That is asking a lot of people these days,” he said. “I think the reward will be . . . a renewed awareness and a renewed interest, hopefully, in the power and the meaning of the Mass. . . . This is really a chance for young people, as [it is for] adults, to strive to know the Mass better and know its importance in their lives.” A game of “telephone tag” during the workshop helped clarify why the Catholic Church is updating the language used in the Mass. The first Sacramentary or collection of prayers is attributed to Pope Leo the Great in mid-400, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops website. The first Roman Missal to be used throughout the Latin Church came out after the Council of Trent in 1570. One sentence from that earlier text was passed along at the workshop through eight individuals, each one representing an update
Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit
Lori Dahlhoff said that “everybody gets to feel like a little child” while learning the new language of the Liturgy.
to the missal by various popes. The final sentence about mystagogy was quite different from the original sentence. “The church is saying, ‘Here is the original sentence,’” Dahlhoff said. A couple of other illustrations that were suggested to use with children included a see-saw or a rope-tugging activity. Those visual examples can help children understand that we are expected to “partner” with Christ in the Liturgy, along with the priest, each other and the world.
Rewarding repetition In Advent, when the priest says: “The Lord be with you,” the faithful will respond, “And with your Spirit.” That blessing and response are repeated four times during the Mass: at the gathering to acknowledge Christ in the priest and the people; at the Gospel before we listen to Christ in the Word; at the Eucharist when Christ is present in the Body and Blood; and at the end of Mass when we are called to bring Christ into the world, she explained. As people learn and understand the new language in the Mass, Dahlhoff said she expects there will be a “different sense of welcome and patience with one another.” This Advent is a good time to invite people in or back to the Catholic Church because everyone will be learning together, she said. But Advent will not be the end of the teaching, Father Erickson said. “Quite honestly, I see our support [from the Office of Worship, which is comprised of Father Erickson and his assistant] growing after Advent,” he said. “Once the implementation does take place and we are done talking about it and we have to do it, we’ll know what has been prepared well and what areas are still deficient; so we can step up to the plate and really help those parishes and schools with those deficiencies.” Many teaching resources are available from the archdiocese, The Catholic Spirit, the USCCB, Catholic publishers and other dioceses. There is even a YouTube video for teens. (See accompanying resources list, below.)
READ MORE ABOUT • RESOURCES FOR YOUTH AND OTHERS @ Office of Worship: Get 100 guides to the new Mass language for $23; 100 laminated guides, $45. Call Lorinda at (651) 251-7727. @ YouTube: Search for “new roman missal video for youth” at WWW.YOUTUBE.COM. Videos by Life Teen cleverly illustrate missal changes.
5 • The Catholic Spirit
CHANGES IN THE PARTS OF THE PEOPLE IN THE ORDER OF MASS
PART OF MASS
PRESENT TEXT FOR PEOPLE
NEW TEXT FOR PEOPLE
Greeting
Priest: The Lord be with you. People: And also with you.
Priest: The Lord be with you. People: And with your spirit.
Penitential Act (Form A)
I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do;
I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned,
and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord, our God. Penitential Act (Form B)
Gloria
Priest : Lord, we have sinned against you: Lord, have mercy. People: Lord, have mercy. Priest: Lord, show us your mercy and love. People: And grant us your salvation.
Priest: Have mercy on us, O Lord.
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.
you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Deacon (or Priest): A reading from the Holy Gospel according to N. People: Glory to you, Lord.
Deacon (or Priest): A reading from the Holy Gospel according to N. People: Glory to you, O Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us;
Dialogue at the Gospel Nicene Creed
in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
People: For we have sinned against you. Priest: Show us, O Lord, your mercy. People: And grant us your salvation.
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
6 • The Catholic Spirit
PART OF MASS
COMMENTARY At the beginning of Mass, immediately after the Sign of the Cross, the celebrant extends one of three different liturgical greetings to the people. The one that is perhaps most commonly used is “The Lord be with you.” It is a familiar line that will remain unchanged with the new translation. However, our new response will be the first major change in the Order of Mass. Instead of “And also with you,” we will now be saying, “And with your spirit.” This new response will also be made at the four other times during Mass when this dialogue occurs: at the reading of the Gospel, at the beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer, during the Sign of Peace (when the priest says, “The peace of the Lord be with you always”), and at the conclusion of Mass. Why the change? At the most basic level, “And with your spirit” is the proper translation of the original Latin text: “Et cum spiritu tuo.” By correctly expressing this dialogue in English, we are actually aligning our translation with that of all the other major language groups, which have long been translating the Latin properly. For example, in Spanish, the response is “Y con tu espíritu.” But even beyond the linguistic, the recovery of the word “spirit” also carries scriptural meaning. One form or other of “The Lord be with you” appears multiple times in the Bible, including the greeting given by the Archangel Gabriel to Mary at the Annunciation: “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). Then, in the Pauline epistles, multiple variations of “The Lord be with your spirit” are employed as parting words to different church communities. Understood together, this liturgical dialogue in the Mass is an exchange whereby all present — both priest and congregation — ask that the Holy Spirit (whom we call “the Lord, the giver of life” in the Nicene Creed) establish a stronger communion among us. In addition, for the congregation to answer the priest, “And with your spirit,” is actually a theological statement about what we Catholics believe regarding ordained ministers. No. 367 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of how “spirit” can refer to an elevation of the soul, whereby the soul “is raised beyond all it deserves to communion with God.” Through Holy Orders, Christ has forever configured the priest’s soul to himself in a special way, by the power of the Holy Spirit. By specifically referencing the priest’s spirit, we can affirm this transformation and pray for his ministry.
‘And with your spirit’
Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Invitation to Prayer
May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good, and the good of all his Church.
May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
Preface Dialogue
Priest: The Lord be with you. People: And also with you. Priest: Lift up your hearts. People: We lift them up to the Lord. Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Priest: The Lord be with you. People: And with your spirit. Priest: Lift up your hearts. People: We lift them up to the Lord. Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People: It is right and just.
Preface Acclamation
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Priest: Let us proclaim the mystery of faith: People: A – Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Priest: The mystery of faith.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
People: A – We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
or B – Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory. or C – When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory.
or B – When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
or D – Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free. You are the Savior of the World.
or C – Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection, you have set us free.
Sign of Peace
Priest: The peace of the Lord be with you always. People: And also with you.
Priest: The peace of the Lord be with you always. People: And with your spirit.
Invitation to Communion
Priest: This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper. All: Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.
Priest: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb. All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
Concluding Rites
Priest: The Lord be with you. People: And also with you.
Priest: The Lord be with you. People: And with your spirit.
‘Consubstantial with the Father’
‘was incarnate of the Virgin Mary’
COMMENTARY
NEW TEXT FOR PEOPLE I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
Mystery of Faith One major wording change in the Nicene Creed is from “one in being” to “consubstantial with the Father.” “Consubstantial” (“consubstantialem” in the Latin text) is an unusual word that will require some catechesis, but it is a crucial early theological term, asserting that the Son is of the “same substance” with the Father — meaning he equally shares the Father’s divinity as a person of the Holy Trinity. Although it carries the same basic meaning as “one in being,” the more precise use of “consubstantial” is an acknowledgement of how the Greek equivalent of the word was so important for safeguarding orthodoxy in the early church. In the fourth century, the description “homoousios” (“same substance”) was affirmed over “homoiousios” (“like substance”). The reality of who Christ is thus hinged upon a single letter! There is another important change in the middle of the Creed: “and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.” The current wording of “born of the Virgin Mary, and became man” can easily be misinterpreted to mean that Christ did not actually become man until the time he was born. Of course, the reality is that the Son of God took on human nature from the moment of his conception in the Blessed Virgin Mary’s womb, at the Annunciation. By using the term, “incarnate,” the new translation leaves no ambiguity.
PRESENT TEXT FOR PEOPLE
‘that you should enter under my roof’ The replacement of our current, relatively terse “not worthy to receive you” with “I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof” is a significant change. The new line comes directly from the Gospels, particularly Matthew 8:8, in which the faith-filled centurion begs Jesus to heal his paralyzed servant: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.” It is therefore a biblical text that conveys humanity’s unworthiness on account of sin, and our need for sincere humility before receiving the Holy Eucharist. Indeed, when Jesus encounters the centurion’s humility, he says, “Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith” (Matthew 8:10). Nonetheless, despite these biblical origins, speaking of “my roof” may seem strange before Holy Communion, since Christ is coming to us in the form of food — not literally entering into our houses. Certainly, the clear association with Matthew, chapter 8, has a figurative intent, but it may also be helpful to recall that St. Paul says, “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you” (1 Corinthians 6:19). We are therefore to make our bodies into fitting homes for God’s grace to dwell within our souls. The Eucharist is true food that provides spiritual nourishment, which is why we will refer more specifically to “my soul” in the last line. But this sacramental strength for our souls in turn informs both our mental and physical deeds (recall the Confiteor also incorporates both types of action — “in my thoughts and in my words”), such that the totality of our bodies, souls and lives may become suitable instruments of the Lord.
Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2010 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
7 • The Catholic Spirit
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
program at Creighton University in Omaha., Neb. The reconciliation canons are usually prayed during Lent or during other times of public repentance or calls to repentance and forgiveness, she said. The canons of various needs and occasions can be prayed when a group is gathered for a particular purpose, such as an assembly of school teachers, or a Eucharistic Congress, or a convention of musicians. While the assembly is probably not a regular Sunday congregation, it would be appropriate to pray one of the versions of this canon at a eucharistic celebration that, for example, missions the parish council or liturgical ministers, Burke-Sullivan said. In 1973, Eucharistic Prayers for Masses with children were added to offer a simplified version of the Eucharistic Prayer to help children better understand the mystery and be engaged in the prayer, said Father Peter Mitchell, a professor of liturgy at St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward, Neb. These prayers were reserved for liturgies where young children were the primary assembly. While these texts are not included in the new edition of the Missal, the Conference of Bishops will consider their future use.
Response of gratitude Stock photo
The Eucharistic Prayer: Our response to God’s invitation By Lisa Maxson What congregations say and hear at Mass will change with the new English translation of the Roman Missal, but the meaning of what one Catholic theologian calls the greatest prayer of the church is unchanged. The Eucharistic Prayer, heard in the middle of every liturgy around the world, recalls the saving mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection and is the highest point of every Mass, says Msgr. Joseph DeGrocco, professor of liturgy and director of liturgical formation at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, N.Y. The new translation does not change what’s happening during the Mass, especially during the consecration, he says. It just brings the words said closer to the literal Latin translation. “We believe that when the church prays the Eucharistic Prayer, that mystery is actually made present,” Msgr. DeGrocco said. “Within that prayer, as part of that making present the mystery, the bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ.”
The Eucharistic Prayer is the Body of Christ’s response to the invitation it receives from God through the Word, Burke-Sullivan said. “The response is always gratitude and it is always transformative,” she said, but no words can possibly say it all. By listening to the different Eucharistic Prayers throughout the year, people gain a better understanding of the beliefs of the Catholic Church. “The way the prayers are written gives a sense of why and when they help the assembly to understand more fully how it is called to act more fully in the person of Christ,” Burke-Sullivan said. Msgr. DeGrocco agreed. “The greater number of texts allows us to explore and enter into the mystery of Christ in all its richness and various facets in a deeper way.” Lisa Maxson is associate editor, writer and photographer at the Catholic Voice, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Omaha, Neb.
Different forms Various forms of the Eucharistic Prayer will continue to be used throughout the year, depending on liturgical seasons and special occasions, Msgr. DeGrocco said. Each form expresses the essential beliefs of the Catholic Church, but emphasizes different aspects of the theology, he said. In addition to four principal Eucharistic Prayers, Eucharistic Prayer forms exist for Masses of reconciliation and Masses for various needs and occasions. Essentially, the priest is free to choose whichever prayer he wants to use, but there are guidelines and aspects of good liturgical practice and theology that make some prayers more appropriate at times than others. Each of the expressions of Eucharistic Prayer offers an emphasis, says Eileen Burke-Sullivan, assistant professor of pastoral and systematic theology and director of the Master of Arts in Ministry
Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit
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SAINTS
Meet the new kids on the block By Mary Elizabeth Sperry The texts of the prayers won’t be the only changes Catholics in the pews see when parishes start using the new Roman Missal. The new missal will include 17 additions to the Proper of Saints, the part of the missal that includes prayers for the observances of saints’ days. The Proper of Saints follows a calendar established by the Vatican and modified by the bishops of each country to include saints of local importance. Any changes to a national or diocesan calendar require the consent of the Vatican. The saints new to the third edition of the Roman Missal include people — like St. Augustine Zhao Rong — who were canonized after the second edition of the Roman Missal was published in 1985. Some of these saints, including St. Lawrence Ruiz and St. Andrew Dung-Lac, have been on the U.S. calendar for years. However, the new missal will be the first time their prayer texts have been available in the printed book. Other added saints appeared on the liturgical calendar until 1969, when the calendar was simplified and many saints’ observances were removed. Also restored to the calendar are observances for the Most Holy Name of Jesus and the Most Holy Name of Mary. Still other saints and observances added to the missal highlight important teachings of the church, such as the teaching on Mary (Our Lady of Fatima) and on the Eucharist as the sacrament of Christ’s love (as promoted by St. Peter Julian Eymard).
Models for all By canonizing these holy men and women, the church presents them as models of Christian living. Whether or not Catholics hear about these saints at their local parishes will depend on the priest. With the exception of the memorials of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (better known as Edith Stein) and St. Pio of Pietrelcina (better known as Padre Pio), all of the new observances are optional memorials. That means the decision about whether or not to celebrate them at a particular Mass rests with the celebrating priest. While a priest may not add the observance of a saint or blessed not on the approved calendar, he is free to decide which, if any, optional memorials he will celebrate. In choosing among the possible observances, priests might highlight saints who offer a particular example to their people. Mary Elizabeth Sperry holds a master’s degree in liturgical studies from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
New saints, observances @ Jan. 3 — Most Holy Name of Jesus. This is part of the church’s celebration of Christmas, recognizing that God bestowed on [Jesus] the name that is above every name (Philippians 2:9). @ Feb. 8 — St. Josephine Bakhita, virgin. Born in Darfur, Sudan, Josephine survived kidnapping and slavery to become a nun who embraced and lived hope as a redeemed child of God. @ April 23 — St. Adalbert, bishop and martyr. Martyred near the end of the first millennium, Adalbert was a missionary in the countries of central Europe, striving to bring unity to God’s people. @ April 28 — St. Louis Mary de Montfort, priest. This French priest is best known for his devotion to Mary, encouraging the faithful to approach Jesus through Jesus’ mother. @ May 13 — Our Lady of Fatima. The Virgin Mary appeared to three children in the Portuguese town of Fatima in 1917. During these apparitions, she encouraged penance and praying the rosary. @ May 21 — St. Christopher Magallanes, priest and martyr, and companions, martyrs. Martyred in 1927, this Mexican priest was noted for his care of the native peoples of Mexico and for his work to support vocations to the priesthood. @ May 22 — St. Rita of Cascia, religious. A wife, mother, widow and nun, St. Rita was known for her patience and humility in spite of many hardships. Conforming herself to the crucified Christ, she bore a wound on her forehead similar to one inflicted by a crown of thorns. @ July 9 — St. Augustine Zhao Rong, priest and martyr, and companions, martyrs. Canonized with 119 other Chinese martyrs, Augustine began his career as a soldier. Inspired by the martyrs, he was baptized and eventually became a priest and martyr himself. @ July 20 — St. Apollinaris, bishop and martyr. Martyred in the second century, Apollinaris was the bishop of Ravenna in Italy. He was known as a great preacher and miracle worker. @ July 24 — St. Sharbel Makhluf, priest. A Maronite priest in Lebanon, St. Sharbel spent much of his life as a hermit in the desert, living a life of extreme penance. @ Aug. 2 — St. Peter Julian Eymard, priest. Founder of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, St. Peter promoted first Communions and devotion to the Eucharist as the sacrament of Christ’s love. @ Aug. 9 — St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, virgin and martyr. Born of Jewish parents as Edith Stein, she received academic renown as a philosopher. After her conversion to Catholicism, she became a Carmelite nun. She died in Auschwitz in 1942. @ Sept. 12 — Most Holy Name of Mary. After beginning in Spain in 1513, this celebration became a universal feast in the 17th century. A companion to the Memorial of The Most Holy Name of Jesus, it follows the Feast of the Nativity of Mary. @ Sept. 23 — St. Pio of Pietrelcina, priest. Padre Pio was known throughout Italy and the world for his patient hearing of confessions and for his spiritual guidance. In poor health for much of his life, he conformed his sufferings to those of Christ. @ Sept. 28 — St. Lawrence Ruiz and companions, martyrs. St. Lawrence and his companions spread the Gospel in the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan. @ Nov. 24 — St. Andrew Dung-Lac, priest and martyr, and companions, martyrs. St. Andrew and his 107 companions, both priests and laity, were martyred in Vietnam in the 17th through 19th centuries. Through their preaching, lives of faith, and witness unto death, they strengthened the church in Vietnam. @ Nov. 25 — St. Catherine of Alexandria, virgin and martyr. Martyred in the early part of the fourth century, Catherine was known for her intelligence, her deep faith and the power of her intercession. — Mary Elizabeth Sperry
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9 • The Catholic Spirit
Children raise their hands by a mural of St. Josephine Bakhita CNS photo / Andrew Heavens, Reuters
self-discipline of a ular period of quiet ction teaches us to ty our minds of the ares, ideas and acting thoughts that ss on us — and to centrate on God, on credible love for me ersonally], and his resence to me.’”
ster Janet Baxendale, SC ph’s Seminary liturgy professor
The Mass: Source of strength for daily life By María de Lourdes Ruiz Scaperlanda Catholics believe that in the celebration of the Mass they join the sacrifice of everyday life to the sacrifice of Christ, said Msgr. Joseph DeGrocco, professor of liturgy at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, N.Y. “The offering and self-emptying we do at Mass, in union with Christ, is the offering and self-emptying we are supposed to be living every moment of every day — that is what the Christian life is!” he said. The relationship between the Mass and everyday life is a reciprocal relationship, an active experience. At every Mass, Catholics bring the offering of what’s going on in their lives — and offer that in union with Jesus. It is that union, culminating in Holy Communion, that strengthens them for everyday life, explained Msgr. DeGrocco. “We do liturgy in order to try to do Christian life right,” he said. “What we do at Mass is a summation or a ‘microcosm,’ if you will, of the way we are supposed to be living Christian life.” According to Msgr. DeGrocco, this awareness of what takes place at every Mass is precisely why Catholics should invest themselves into appreciating the Mass. “We cannot be Catholic without it,” he said. “We cannot be fully united to Jesus without sacramental communion with him in the Eucharist.”
Help to live life well Not only is daily life about the Mass, said liturgy professor Sister Janet Baxendale, SC, of New York City’s St. Joseph’s Seminary, but the Mass also “offers extraordinary help in my efforts to live my life well” through Scripture, the Word of God, the Prayers of the Faithful, and, most powerfully, by receiving the Eucharist. In Holy Communion, “Christ comes to us to nourish us, to be food for our souls as we struggle to fulfill our baptismal call to be like Christ, to be his presence in our world,” noted Sister Baxendale. Distractions can make participation and appreciation of the Mass discouraging, she said. “Our thoughts stray; we find ourselves trying to solve problems of home, of office, of life in general. The people around us distract us: a crying child, someone with an
annoying habit sharing ‘my’ pew, the choir is off-key, the readings can’t be heard — and on and on.” Sister Baxendale said there are strategies to reduce the impact of these distractions: @ Prepare for Mass. Read over that day’s Scriptures. “In this way you will have done the ‘ground work,’ tilling the soil so that the seed of God’s Word may find ready soil in you.” @ Participate in Mass. Sing the hymns, pray the responses, listen to the readings and to the prayers said by the priest on our behalf: the opening prayer, the prayer over the gifts, the prayer after Communion, the Eucharistic Prayer. “Work at doing this well, and there will be less time for distractions.” @ Learn about the Mass. Check online sources provided by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and printed materials in your own parish for resources to “enhance your understanding and appreciation of the great gift God has given to his people in the Mass.” @ Take daily time to be silent and to listen. The self-discipline of a regular period of quiet reflection teaches us to “empty our minds of the cares, ideas and distracting thoughts that press on us — and to concentrate on God, on his incredible love for me [personally], and his presence to me. Our perseverance can bear fruit in the ability to concentrate more fully when we are at Mass.” @ Don’t get discouraged. “It is the effort that counts. The results are in the hands of God.”
Participate fully Christ is present at Mass in many ways, said Msgr. DeGrocco, “in the gathered assembly, in the Word, in the priest, and most especially in the real presence of the Eucharist. . . . The person in the pew who does nothing ‘more’ than being internally attentive and bringing the sacrifice of his or her life, and who does all the external participation (sitting, standing, kneeling, responding, singing) is nonetheless participating fully.” “The best way to improve one’s appreciation of the Mass,” he added, “is to improve one’s living of the sacrifice of one’s life.” María de Lourdes Ruiz Scaperlanda is a frequent contributor to the Catholic press.
PRAYER
Connecting Liturgy and life U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops At its heart, the Eucharist is a sacrament of communion, bringing us closer to God and to our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. If we live the fruits of the Eucharist in our daily lives, we will fill our families and our communities with the lifegiving qualities that the Liturgy brings: hospitality, concern for the poor and vulnerable, self-offering, and thanksgiving.
As we pray, so we believe An ancient saying in the church reads “lex orandi, lex credendi,” meaning that the law of prayer is the law of faith. More loosely: as we pray, so we believe. To that we might add “lex vivendi,” meaning that as we pray, so we believe, and so we live. In the third edition of the Roman Missal, the bishops and translators have taken great care to ensure that the prayers accurately and fully reflect the mysteries of our faith. Thus, the words that we pray in each liturgical celebration will help to form and strengthen our understanding of the faith. However, if the effects of the Liturgy stop at the doors of the church, we have not made our prayer and our faith part of our law of living. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist helps us to grow in union with Christ, avoid sin, increase in charity, strengthen communion with our brothers and sisters, and recognize Christ in the poorest and most vulnerable members of society (see CCC, Nos. 1391-1397). But what does that mean in daily life?
Living a life of prayer Our prayer lives should not be limited to a single hour on Sunday mornings. In fact, the richer our prayer lives are throughout the week, the more fully we will be able to enter into the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist. Here are some ways to make your daily life more prayerful: @ Try attending daily Mass at least once a week. Your parish may have an early morning Mass, or a church near your job may offer a lunchtime Mass. @ Stop in a church before or after work or on your lunch hour for 15 minutes of quiet prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. @ Make it a practice to say grace before every meal — even if you are eating in the car. @ Schedule time for family prayer at least once a week. This prayer can be as simple as saying the Our Father or a decade of the rosary together. @ Take time during the week to read or listen to the readings for the upcoming Sunday. The readings are available online (in print and audio) at WWW.USCCB.ORG. @ Begin your day with a brief prayer of thanksgiving to God, offering your day to him. @ End your day with an examination of conscience, looking at your successes and failures in what you have done or what you have failed to do. If you are aware of serious sin, receive the sacrament of penance before you receive Holy Communion again.
A life of loving service Celebrating the eucharistic liturgy and receiving Holy Communion should strengthen us to conform our lives more closely to the example of Christ. As Jesus knelt before his Apostles to wash their feet (see John 13), giving them an example of humble service, so must we who bear the name Christian live our lives in service to our brothers and sisters. To help us in this endeavor, church tradition has identified works of mercy (see accompanying box). These 14 practices demand great sacrifice and generosity, but they also draw us more deeply into conformity with the Lord. Focusing on one of
CNS photo / Karen Callaway, Northwest Indiana Catholic
these works each week may be a practical way to integrate them into our personal, family and parish lives. Our parishes and civil communities offer numerous opportunities to live out these works, from assisting with religious education classes or volunteering at a food bank to encouraging our legislators to put forward policies that protect the life and dignity of each person. As we grow in conformity to Christ, we see more clearly that Corporal Works of Mercy all people are made in the image and likeness of God (see Genesis @ Feeding the hungry 1:26) and so have an inherent @ Sheltering the homeless value and dignity. By helping to @ Clothing the naked build a more just and @ Visiting the sick compassionate society, we act as @ Visiting the imprisoned Christ’s body in the world. @ Giving drink to the thirsty Back to Eucharist @ Burying the dead Living the Christian life is not Spiritual Works of Mercy easy. “What material food produces in our bodily life, Holy @ Converting sinners Communion wonderfully @ Instructing the ignorant achieves in our spiritual life. @ Advising the doubtful Communion with the flesh of @ Comforting the sorrowful the risen Christ . . . preserves, @ Bearing wrongs patiently increases, and renews the life of @ Forgiving injuries grace received at baptism. This growth in Christian life needs @ Praying for the living and dead the nourishment of Eucharistic Communion, the bread for our pilgrimage” (CCC, no. 1392). And so, each Sunday, we return to the eucharistic table, bringing all our efforts of the previous week, the good and the bad, the successes and the failures, the joys and the sorrows. We gather with our brothers and sisters in the Lord and, together with our priest, we join these efforts to the perfect sacrifice of Christ, asking that God will receive what we offer back to him in humble thanksgiving. Then, strengthened by Holy Communion, we are once again sent forth into the world to glorify the Lord in our lives. © United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
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